Train-service coupling.



I. B. TURNER. TRAIN SERVICE GOUPLING. APPLICATION rum) 'APB. 2a, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES QMY Q,

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

I. B. TURNER. TRAIN SERVICE COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED 11.28, 1909.

948,15Q, Patented Feb.1,1910.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR .[Mi 5 Tm ATTORNEY I. B. TURNER.

. TRAIN SERVICE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1909.

948,150. Patented Feb. 1, 1910. 'l SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES 7 4 Lmm M001? jg fl/mw ATTORNEY I. B; TURNER.

TRAIN SERVICE COUPLING.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.28, 1909.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES v. E N R 0 T A I. B. TURNER.

TRAIN SERVIGE OOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED .APR.28, 1909.

@18 1 50., Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

l K E w 1 U 1111f Jam/J Q4 w/ 4 5 M ATTORNEV ANDREW. a. 0mm 00..vnowufnoenaruszs wlsu ntmm, u c.

L'B. TURNER.

TRAIN SERVICE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1909. 943 1 5, Patented Feb. 1,1910.

mums-SHEET e.

WITNESSES INVENTOR gm BJZMww MIDREM a. ,mwuu cc mmmlumzks. wAwawa. u. c.

" ATTORNEY I. B. TURNER.

TRAIN SERVICE COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 23, 1909.

Patented Feb. 1910.

'T SHEBTSSHEET '7.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Y E N R Q T A AWREVI. u, c

nrrnn srn IRA B. TURNER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-SERVICLE COUPLING.

Elthddtl.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 191d.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA l3. TURNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inTrain-- Service Couplers, of which the following is a. specification.

lily invention relates to a new and useful improven'lent in trainservice couplers, and has for its object to provide an exceedinglysimple and effective device of this character, whereby the differentservice pipes of-adacent cars may be automatically coupled or uncoupled.

In coupling railway cars together it is cus' tomary to employ a flexibleconnection for each portion of the train service, such as air, steam,gas, etc, and when these connections are to be coupled it is necessarythat a trainman go between the cars for such purpose. This manualoperation of coupling the train service is objectionable however both onaccount of the delay and the time caused in eifecting the same and alsoon account of the danger incurred by the trainman in going between thecars.

To avoid these objectionable features I have provided a coupler whichwill automatically assume a coupled position simultaneously with thecoupling of the regular car couplers when the cars are brought together,and l have made provision for a longitudinal or forward and rearwardmovement, also horizontal and vertical movements some what in excess ofthat between the car couplers whereby they will positively automaticallycouple in any position in which the reg ular car couplers will coupleand my couplers will also automatically uncouple should the car couplersbe uncoupled either intentionally or accidentally.

In accordance with my present invention 1 have provided an automatictrain service coupler, which, because of its shape will lock againsthorizontal or vertical movement relatively to one another and which isprovided with a downwardly extending guide wing so constructed that whentwo of these guide wings come together they will be drawn to one side.but should the body of the coupler come in contact with the guide wingsaid guide wing will cause the coupler to move into its couplingposition.

The gist of the invention is to provide train service couplers which areduplicates of one another so that they will be interchangeable and alsoto provide couplers which will automatically couple and look when twocars come together and are automatically uncoupled when the same carsare discontinued.

l Vith these ends in view, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, in which *igure 1 is aplan view of two couplers made in accordance with my improvement in theposition they assume just before the final couplin Fig. 2, a similarview of one of the couplers showing the shank removed. Fig. 3, a frontelevation thereof. Fig. 4;, a side elevation. Fig. 5, a perspective viewof the shank showing how it is attached to the cars. Fig. 6, a sectionatthe line g -g of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7,a section at the line .r-0c of Fig. 4: looking downward. Fig. 8, a sideelevation on a reduced scale of two couplers coupled together showingthe relation to one of the train couplers. Fig. 9, a section at the linem-m of Fig. 8 looking downward. Fig. 10, a plan view of two couplerscoupling 011 a curve, the car couplers being broken away to more plainlyshow the construction, and Fig. 11, a modified form of my inventionshowing the coupler built up so as to provide for an extra number ofservice pipes.

As the construction and operation of each of the companion couplersillustrated in the drawings is substantially identical, the furtherdetail description of one will be applicable to both.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents brackets, bywhich the car coupler B of a car may be connected to said car. To thesebrackets are attached the's'ervice coupling -brackets"G,"or if founddesirable they may be formed with the first named brackets. In the lastnamed brackets are formed vertical slots D, through which passes theshank E, the outer end of which is bent on its axial line at rightangles, as indicated by F, and in this end is formed a bolt receivingopening G.

H is a pin placed in proximity to the forward end of the shank E, andbetween this pin and the forward bracket G is placed a coil spring I,which is coiled about the shank E, so as to normally hold the shankforward. In the rear end of the shank is placed another pin J which willprevent said shank from pulling out of the vertical slot D in the rearbracket G. Coiled about the rear bracket is a coil spring K, the lowerend of which rests against the upper surface of the shank E, and theupper end rests against a suitable stop L placed in the bracket, and

this spring normally holds the rear end of the shank E downward.

Supported on the outer end of the shank E is my improved train servicecoupler, composed of a head M, which is provided with a number ofpassages or conduits N and O, the orifices of which lie in a horizontalplane, more clearly shown in Fig. 3, and provided with rubber gaskets Pand Q, the gasket P being here shown as flush with the coupler face andthe gasket Q shown as extending beyond said face, these gaskets beingused for-effecting the proper coupling of the conduits of this with acompanion coupler head when brought into coupling engagement therewith.On the inner walls of the conduits N and O, at their outer ends areprovided the ground valve seats R, against which seat the valves S,their outer ends extending beyond the faces of the coupler and areformed by producing ribs T at right angles to one another. The rear endsof the conduits N and O are provided with threads U into which arethreaded the couplings V of the train service pipes V. The inner end ofthese couplings may be extended, as indicated by A so that they willpass into the conduits N and 0 thereby acting as stops for the valves S.Between the couplings V and the valves S are placed coil springs B whichnormally hold the valves against their seats, so that when two of thecouplers are drawn apart the passages will be automatically closed,shutting 7 off the steam, gas, water, etc.

The coupler head is formed with a convex face C and'a concaved face D sothat as two companion couplers come into the coupling position theconvex face of one will enter the concaved face of the other, and viceversa.

The faces of the coupler extend above the head M, so as to form a flangeE and said coupler is also provided with a forward sidewise extendingflange F and a rearward sidewise extending flange G which are braced bythe ribs H and 1. extending from the outer ends of the flanges F and Gto the head'B l of the coupler.

J denotes the guide wing which extends downward from one side of thecoupler head and forward of the faces and is so constructed that shouldthe guide wing of the coinpanion coupler come in contact therewith itwould cause said guide wing to be drawn off to one side so that theconcaved face of one coupler would come in alinement with the convexface of the opposite coupler, but should the lower edge of the couplerhead come in contact with said guide wing it would be caused to rideupward on said guide wing until the parts are in alinement, the same aswhen one guide wing comes in contact with the other. At the upper end ofthis guide wing and below the concaved face of the coupler head isformed a seat K, the face of which is in alinement with the lowersurface of the coupler head or slightly below it, so as to leave roomfor a certain amount of play when the coupling movement is taking place.The guide wing J is braced by a suitable rib L so as to relieve aportion of the strain brought to bear thereon when coupling.

The coupler head M is provided with a slot M beneath the conduits N andO and in this extends the end F of. the shank l) and is held therein bya bolt N passing through the opening 0 and. the bolt receiving opening Gin the end of the shank, said opening 0 being formed at right angles tothe slot M. At the rear end of the coupler head both above and below theslot M are formed the extensions P so as to provide a greater surfacefor resting against the shank E. I

In Fig. 11 I have shown a modified form of my device in which I take anumber of sections Q which are similar to the coupler head proper,having conduits R and 9 similar to the conduits N and O in the couplerhead, and to the rear of each of these is attached a service pipe and inthe forward end are mounted valves for closing the conduits. Thesesections as needed are placed upon top of the coupler head and attachedthereto in some suitable manner. If found desirable these sections maybe cast with the coupler proper instead of being mounted thereon. afterthe casting has been made.

The operation of the train service coupler is as follows :-WVhen twotrains equipped with the coupler are brought together, an automaticcoupling of both the car couplers oaeuao and the train service couplersis effected when the train service couplers are thus brought intocoupling engagement, the adjacent faces of the coupler heads M will bemaintained in close engagement with each other by the coil springs I, soto assure a tight joint between the rubber gaskets P and Q. at theorifices of the corresponding conduits carried by each coupler, at thesame time the convex portion 0 of one coupler fitting in the concaveportion D of the adjacent coupler when the pressure of the springs Ibehind the couplers will prevent said couplers from moving horizontally,and as the seat K of each coupler is beneath the convex portion of theadjacent coupler it will prevent said coupler heads from moving in avertical direction with relation to one another. When two cars are beingcoupled on a curve the rearwardly sidewise extending flange G of onecoupler will come in contact with the forwardly sidewise extendingflange F of the adjacent coupler, which will cause the coupler heads toswing upon the bolts N causing the passages N and O of one coupler toline up with the corre- SDODfllllg passages in the adjacent coupler, andas the couplers are brought closer to gether the gaskets will come incontact with one another forming a tight closure, at the same time thevalves S will come in contact with one another and will be pushed inwardagainst the action of the springs A and 13 thus opening the passageways, and in order that both valves shall open, I provide a stop back ofthem so that when one has come in contact with this stop the adjacentvalve must open because of the pressure against it. When two cars, oneof which is loaded, and the other empty are being coupled, the trainservice couplers will come together, one higher than the other, at whichtime the under side of the guide wing J on the higher coupler will comein contact with the convex face of the guide wing on the lower couplerand the pressure behind them will. cause the higher coupler to slide offto one side until the parts are in alinement, at which time the couplerswill come together in the manner desired. Should this same character ofcoupling operation be taking place and the lower edge of the convex faceof the coupler head come in contact with the guide wing of the adjacentcoupler head, said guide wing coupler head to ride upon it until said.adjacent coupler had taken its position, as hereinbefore described, whatpoint on the guide wing said convex face strikes it is bound to take itsposition, as the curve of said guide wing leads to a common center whichis the seat K.

The vertical movements of the couplers are will cause the adjacent.

and no matter at.

obtained through the medium of the shank E mounted in the slottedbrackets G, for when an upward movement is desired the forward end ofthe shank will move upward in the slot D of the forward bracket C andwhen a downward movement is desired, the rear end of the shank E willrise i'ipward in the slot D, in the rear bracket G against the action ofthe spring K, using the forward bracket C as a fulcrun'i.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction here shown as these may be varied within the limits of theappended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, is

1. In a train service coupler, a coupler head provided with a concaveand a convex face, each having a valve controlled conduit leading fromsaid concave and convex faces rearwardly through the coupler, adownwardly forwardly extending guide wing, and means other than theguide wing for alining the concave face of onecoupler with the convexface of the co-acting coupler.

2. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having a concave and aconvex face, each havinga conduit leading from said concave and convexfaces, a valve seat formed in the walls of the forward ends of saidconduits, resilient means for normally holding said valves against theirseats, a forwardly downwardly extending guide wing, and means other thanthe guide wing for assisting in alining the concave face of one couplerwith the convex face of the co-acting coupler.

3. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having a concave and aconvex face, each having a conduit leading therefrom rearward throughthe coupler, each of said conduits having a valve seat formed in thewalls of' their forward ends, valves, coil sprii'igs for holding saidvalves against their seats, stops for limiting the movement of thevalves, and a forwardly downwardly ex tending guide wing. the outer faceof which is formed to lead to a common center at the upper portionthereof.

at. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexfaces, each having a valve controlled conduit leading therefromrearwardly through the coupler, and a downwardly forwardly extendingguide wing.

5. In a train service coupler, a coupler head provided with a concaveand a convex face, each having a conduit respectively leading from saidconvex and said concave portions rearwardly through the coupler, andgaskets placed in the orifices of said conduits.

&

6. In a train service coupler, a coupler head provided with a concaveand a convex face, each having a conduit respectively leading from saidconvex and said concave portions rearwardly through the coupler,

gaskets placed in the orifices of said conduits,

and a downwardly forwardly extending,

coupler head, and a seat formed at the upper 1 portion of said guide win8. In a train service coupler, a coupler sidewise extending flangeformed with one side of said coupler head, and a forwardly sidewiseextending flange formed with the opposite side of said head.

9. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexportions and provided with conduits, a rearwardly sidewise extendingflange formed with one side of said coupler head, ribs for strengtheningsaid flange, and a forwardly sidewise extending flange formed with thehead.

10. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexportions and provided with conduits, a rearwardly sidewise extendingflange formed with one side of said coupler head, ribs for strengtheningsaid flange, a forwardly sidewise extending flange formed with the head,and a downwardly forwardly extending guide wing.

11. In a train service coupler, a coupler head provided with a concaveand a convex portion and having conduits and a slot passing entirelythrough the head, and a shank passing into said slot, for the purposeset forth.

12. In a train service coupler, a coupler head provided with a concaveand a convex portion and having conduits and a slot passing entirelythrough the head, a shank passing into said slot, and means for pivotingsaid head to the shank.

13. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having a concave andconvex face and provided with a. slot and bolt receiving opening, aforwardly downwardly extending guide-wing, a shank, the outer end ofwhich is bent on its axis at right angles, provided with a boltreceiving opening, and a bolt for pivoting the coupler head to theshank.

14. In combination, forward and rear brackets having slots formedtherein, a shank, the forward end of which is bent on its axis at rightangles and having a bolt receiving opening therein, a pin passingthrough the shank in proximity to its forward end, a spiral springcoiled about the shank, one end of which rests against the forwardbracket, the other against the pin, another pin passing through theshank to the rear of the rear bracket, a spiral spring coiled. about therear bracket, the lower end of which rests against the shank, means forholding the upper end of said springs in position, and a coupler headhaving a concave and convex portion and a dowmvardly forwardly extendingguide wing.

15. In combination, forward and rear brackets having slots formedtherein, a

shank, the forward end of which is bent on its axis at right angles andhaving a bolt head having concave and convex portions and provided withconduits, a rearwardly receiving opening therein, a pin passing throughthe shank in proximity to its forward end, av spiral spring coiled aboutthe shank, one end of which rests against the forward bracket, the otheragainst the pin, another pin passing through the shank to the rear ofthe rear bracket, a spiral spring coiled about the rear bracket, thelower end i of which rests against the shank, means for holding theupper end of said springs in position, a coupler head provided with aconcave and convex portion, said concave and convex portion extendingupwardly to form a flange, said coupler head provided with conduits, aslot and bolt receiving opening, the walls at the forward end of saidconduits being formed to produce valve seats and having threads formedin their rear ends, valves mounted in said conduits, stops for limitingthe movement of said valves, gaskets mounted in the orifices of saidconduits, connections for connecting the conduits with the train servicepipes, a. bolt passing through the bolt receiving opening in the headand the one in the shank for pivoting said head to said shank,extensions formed with the rear of said head above and below the slot, arearwardly sidewise extending flange, ribs for bracing the same, aforwardly sidewise extending flange formed with the opposite side ofsaic head, a downwardly forwardly extending guide wing formed with oneside of the head, the outer face of said guide wing being so constructedas to lead to a common center, a seat formed at the upper end of saidguide wing below the concave portion, and a rib for strengthening saidguide wing.

16. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexfaces, each provided with a valve controlled conduit leading therefrom,rearwardly through the coupler, a downwardly forwardly extending guidewing, and a seat formed with the upper portion of said guide wing,acting as a lock against vertical movement when two of the couplers arein engagement, as specified.

17. In a train service coupler, a coupler head provided with concave andconvex con tact faces, from each of which a conduit leads, valvesoperating in said conduits, yielding means for maintaining said valvesin a normal position, and means formed with said head for alining theconcave portion of one coupler with the convex portion of the oppositecoupler.

18. A coupler consisting of two duplicate coupler members, each membercomprising a coupler head having a concave and a convex face, a conduitleading to each of said faces, valves operating in said conduits, meansfor maintaining the valves in normal position, means for limiting theirmovements in one direction and guide wings formed with the couplerheads, coacting to bring the concave face of one member in contact withthe convex face of the opposite member.

19. A coupler consisting of duplicate coupling members, each comprisinga coupler head yielding when supported and having a concave and a convexcontact face, a conduit leading to each of said faces, valves forclosing said conduits, yielding means for maintaining the valves innormal position and a forwardly extending guide wing secured to eachmember and co-acting with the guide wing of the opposite member toaccurately aline the concave face of one head with the convex face ofthe opposite head.

20. In a coupler, a support yieldingly mounted to permit vertical andlongitudinal movements thereof, a coupler head carried by said supportand having concave and convex faces, a conduit leading to each of saidfaces, valves for closing said conduits, yielding means for maintainingthe valves normally closed and permitting them to open when the contactface of one coupler head comes into proximity to the convex contact faceof another coupler head and means formed with said head co-acting withsimilar means on the duplicate coupler head for alining the concave faceof one head with the convex face of the opposite head.

21. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexcontact faces, a conduit leading to each of said faces, means formedwith the sides of said head for assisting in the alinement of the convexface of one head with the concave face of the opposite head.

22. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having a concave and aconvex contact face, a conduit leading to each of said faces, springactuated valves for normally closing said conduits and means formed withthe sides of the coupler head for assisting in the alinement of a pairof couplers when brought together at an angle.

23. A coupler consisting of duplicate coupler members, each comprising acoupler head having a concave and convex face, a conduit leading to eachof said faces, valves situated in said conduits, yielding means formaintaining the valves in normal position, and flanges formed with thesides of the heads, for assisting in alining the contact faces.

24. A coupler consisting of duplicate coupler members each comprising acoupler head having a concave and convex face, a conduit leading to eachof said faces, valves situated in said conduits, yielding means formaintaining the valves in normal position, flanges formed with the sidesof the heads for assisting in alining the contact faces, and means forstrengthening said flanges.

25. A coupler consisting of duplicate coupler members, each comprising acoupler head having a concave and convex face, a conduit leading to eachof said faces, valves situated in said conduits, yielding means formaintaining the valves in normal position, flanges formed with the sidesof the heads for assiting in alining the contact faces, and ribs forstrengthening said flanges.

26. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexcontact faces, a conduit leading to each of said faces, spring actuatedvalves for normally closing the conduits, means for limiting therearward movement of said valves, a rearwardly and sidewise extendingflange formed with the one side of said coupler head and a forwardlysidewise extending flange formed with the opposite side of said head.

27. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexcontact faces, a conduit leading to each of said faces, spring actuatedvalves .for normally closing the conduits, means for limiting therearward movement of said valves, a rearwardly and sidewise-extendingflange formed with one side of said coupler head, a forwardly sidewiseextending flange formed with the opposite side of said head, and adownwardly and forwardly extending guide wing formed with the lowerportion of the coupler head.

28. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexcontact faces, a conduit leading to each of said faces, spring actuatedvalves for normally closing the conduits, means for limiting therearward movement of said valves, a rearwardly and side-wise extendingflange formed with one side of said coupler head, a forwardly sidewiseextending flange formed with the opposite side of said head, and a down-'vvardly and forwardly extending guide Wing formed With the lowerportion of the coupler head, the outer face of which is so curved as tolead to a common center at the upper portion thereof.

29. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and conveXcontact faces, a conduit leading from each of said faces, springactuated valves for normally closing the conduits, means for limitingthe rearward movement of said valves, a rearvvardly and sidewiseextending flange formed With one side of said coupler head a for- Wardlysidewise extending flange formed With the opposite side of said head, aguide Wing formed With the head and a seat formed at the top of saidguide wing.

30. In a train service coupler, a coupler head having concave and convexcontact faces, a conduit leading from each of said faces, springactuated valves for normally closing the conduits, means for limitingthe rearward movement of said valves, :1 rear- Wardly and sidewiseextending flange formed with one side of said coupler head andmeansformed with the head at the top of the guide Wing to preventlongitudinal movement of the coupler heads after they are coupled.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto atfixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

IRA B. TURNER.

Witnesses ROBERT TURNER, JOHN R. THOMAS.

